The public demand for tamper-evident, tamper-resistant closures has increased over recent years. This demand may be partially attributed to the reports of tampering with consumer products. Because of these incidents and related mishaps, retailers and consumers alike have pressured the manufacturers of these products into using tamper resistant mechanisms on the packaging of the product or on the containers themselves. Manufacturers that forego these tamper-proof mechanisms may risk reduced sales due to a consumer fear of possible tampering, or confront retailers that refuse to stock products without tamper-proof mechanisms.
To date, a variety of tamper-evident, tamper-resistant devices are known for products, including, but not limited to, cellophane wrappings, plastic cap members and various cap attachments. One such device is disclosed in Steadman U.S. Pat. No. 3,974,938 wherein a blood bag includes a first flexible seal that may be broken to expose a second seal that serves as a plug mechanism. While the above device provides an effective tamper-proof seal mechanism, it has a more limited application and is expensive because of its relatively complex structure.
Eye care products in particular include a variety of tamper-proof mechanisms that include removable cellophane which encapsulates the box or container that houses the product, break-away tabs that break when the cap is unscrewed, or tear-away plastic that covers the entire cap portion. While these tamper-proof mechanism are effective to a certain extent, they are not without their limitations. First, the above mechanisms are usually not integrally molded to the container or closure element but instead are separate components. Thus, their inclusion on the eye care product involves an additional step in the manufacturing or packaging of the product and substantially increases the cost of the product. Second, the above mechanisms, for the most part, are directed to the packaging of the container as opposed to protecting the actual product itself.